Dyeing apparatus



March 1942- J. H. I-AIIGGINSON ETAL' DYEING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2, 1940 \nve nTofs. \Joseph H. Higginson Home? O. Ri b mzw Patented Mar. 10, 1942 DYEING APPARATUS Joseph H. Higginson and Homer 0. Riggs, Andover, Mass, assignors to Riggs & Lombard, Incorporated, Lowell, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 2, 1340, Serial N 0. 349,490

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dyeing, bleaching, washing and otherwise processing fibrous materials, and particularly to improvements in stock dyeing apparatus of the type which comprises a kettle or kier for the liquid for dyeing, or otherwise treating the material, having means, such as a pump, for circulating a liquid under pressure through said kier including a central port in the bottom of the kier and a removable carrier for the material havin a central perforated standpipe adapted to register with the port in the bottom of the kettle,-

and a perforated bottom plate surroundin said standpipe and approximately fitting within the peripheral wall of the kier.

In usual constructions the standpipe is fixedly secured to the perforated bottom plate of the carrier and is provided at its lower end with a collar which cooperates with an annular bearing mounted on the base of the kier with a suitable packing therebetween to prevent leakage of the liquid under pressure through the joint. In such usual constructions the upper end of the standpipe is provided with a clevis or other means adapted to be engaged by lifting mechanism for raising the carrier from the kier and lowering it into the kier. In the operation of such machines the unevenly distributed weight of the stock or improper positioning of the carrier causes a misalinement of the standpipe which results in distorting or otherwise injuring the packing and opening the joint between the standpipe and the bottom of the kettle, thereby interfering with proper circulation of the liquid and reducing the pressure of the liquid which is projected through the perforations in the standpipe, and consequently also diminishing the quantity of liquid which flows through the open end of the standpipe over the material in the carrier.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a construction in which the misalinement of the carrier will be prevented and self-centering of the standpipe permitted. This is accomplished by supporting the perforated bottom plate of the carrier upon suitable means located remote from the center of the perforated plate, with the standpipe passing freely through a central aperture in the perforated plate and the spider or other reenforcing means therefor with sufficient clearance to enable the standpipe to center itself thereby avoiding distortion or injury of the packing upon which the lower end of the standpipe rests and consequent leakage.

In usual stock dyeing constructions of the-type forated bottom plate mounted on the central standpipe, the necessary clearance between the periphery of the perforated plate and the wall of the kier is sumcient to allow such fibres as are displaced by the circulating liquid from the mass of material in the carrier to pass into the lower portion of the kier from which it is drawn into the pump and recirculated.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for overcoming this defect. This is accomplished by supporting the periphery of the perforated bottom plate of the carrier upon a continuous shelf, preferably in the form of a horizontal ring, which is mounted on the interior of the kier, and is of sufficient width to underlie the periphery of the perforated plate and seal the space between it and the wall of the kier.

In the process of dyeing fibrous material, and particularly in stock dyeing, the material is first moistened or wetted down with water to cause the dye liquid when introduced to be ab sorbed uniformly by the material. In usual constructions water is forced under pressure into the standpipe and is delivered into the kier both from the upper end of the standpipe and through the perforations in the wall thereof, which generally are spaced at substantially uniform intervals throughout the portion of the standpipe which extends upwardly from the perforated plate to the top of the pipe. The jets which are thus projected horizontally from the standpipe force the fibres near the standpipe outwardly and leave a space surrounding the standpipe, which forms a channel around the standpipe leading to the bottom of the carrier through which the liquid will circulate without penetrating the material, thus interfering with the proper circulation of the dye liquor through the mass section of the pipe being provided with the usual perforations, and by providing means, such as a sleeve valve, whichmay be selectively adjusted to close some or allof the perforations in the upper section of the standpipe so that substanin which the removable carrier comprises a per- 55 tially all of the liquid under pressure will be delivered from the open upper end of the standpipe and caused to flow downwardly through the material.

Such adjustment is particularly desirable in wetting down the material in which case the valve is adjusted to close the perforations so that the water under pressure supplied to the standpipe will be projected Wholly or mainly from the upper end thereof and will spread out, as from a fountain, and cascade downwardly through the material in the carrier, thereby uniformly wetting the material without substantially compacting the material. After the wetting operation is completed the dye liquor may be initially applied in the same manner if desired and the sleeve valve then slid downwardly to open the perforations in the upper section of the standpipe, so that the dye liquor will thereafter be circulated through the material in the usual manner.

These and other: objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a diametrical vertical sectional view of a stock dyeing apparatus embodying the invention showing the sleeve valve in normal position during the dyeing operation; and,

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the sleeve valve adjusted to close the perforations in the upper section of the standpipe for the purpose of causing all, or substantially all, of the liquid to be delivered from the upper open end of the standpipe upon the upper surface of the material in the carrier.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated herein as applied to the general type of dyeing machine which is illustrated and described in the patent-to William A. Traver and John M. Wood No. 1,813,784 granted July 7', 1931, but differs therefrom in many respects as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The kier, which contains the treating liquid, desirably is in the form of a cylinder l, of stainless steel or other non-corrosive material. having a bottom 2 of like material provided with a central opening or port 3. which, communicates with a preferably inverted semi-cylindrical conduit 4 the edges of which are welded to the base I and forms a passage for supplying liquid under pressure from a suitable pump (not shown) through the port 3 to the kier.

A suitable return conduit 4a leads from the lower portion of the kier to the pump intake as in usual constructions. Desirably a screen d'b covers the intake end of the return pipe to prevent fibres or other debris washed out of the material from being drawn into the pump and recirculated.

The kier is provided at the bottom with an outlet conduit or drain pipe 5 and desirably is provided near its upper end with a pressure reably is in the form of a collar 9 welded, or otherwise fixedly secured, to the lower end portion of the vertical standpipe I!) which has an open upper end H.

The upper section l2 of the standpipe isprovided with suitable apertures or perforations I3, while the lower section Id of the standpipe preferably is imperforate.

Suitable means, such as a clevis l5, which is secured to the upper end of the standpipe, provides means which may be engaged by a suitable hoisting mechanism to lift the standpipe and carrier out of the kier for loading or unloading and for introducing the loaded carrier into the kier.

The carrier for the material comprises a perforated horizontal stock-carrying plate 16 which desirably is mounted upon a spider having radially extending arms I? welded or otherwise fixedly secured to a cylindrical hub IS, the outer ends of the spider, arms being connected to a suitable metal ring 59..

In usual constructions the spider of the carrier and the plate It which is supported thereby are fixedly mounted upon the standpipe and it has been found in practice that improper positioning of the standpipe relatively to the port through which liquid is forced into the standpipe or uneven distribution of the weight upon the carrier will tilt the standpipe in such manner as to open up the joint between the lower end of the standpipe and the bearing surrounding the port Arough which liquid is supplied, thereby causing loss of pressure in the standpipe as well as interfering with the proper. circulation of the liquid through the material contained in the carrier.

One of the objects, of the invention is to avoid this. defect. In the present construction this is overcomeby supporting the horizontal perforated stock-carrying plate 16 at its periphery or at. points remote from the standpipe and providing means which will enable the standpipe to be self-centering. This is accomplished by supporting the spider, which carries the perforated plate 15 of the carrier, a short distance above the collar 9 which is, fixedly secured upon the lower end of the standpipe and providing the hub of the spider with a vertical aperture therethrough sufficiently larger than the standpipe to permit self-centering of the standpipe upon the bearing upon which the collar 9- rests, thereby maintaining at all times a liquid-tight engagement of the collar 9 with the packing 8 of the bearing. It is found that the liquid which is projected from the upper end of the standpipe reacts upon the standpipe with sufficient downward force to press the ring 9 firmly against the packing ring and to aid the self-centering of the standpipe.

In the preferred construction illustrated the plate It extends beyond the ends of the spider and the surrounding ring l9 thereof and its periphery is narrowly spaced from the cylindrical wall of the pier and is supported by the horizontal flange 2B of a ring of angular cross section having its vertical flange 2| welded or otherwise secured to the cylindrical wall of the kier. The horizontal flange 20; extends well beneath the peripheral portion of the plate t6 and thereby provides a seal which will prevent fibres, which may be detached from the material being treated by the circulatingliquid, from passing between the periphery of the horizontal plate 5- of the carrier and the vertical wall ofthe kier into the bottom of the kier, thus avoiding recirculation ofsuch fibres through the pump or such accumulation of the fibres upon the screen 4b as might clog the screen and restrict the circulation of liquid through the kier.

Another object of the invention as above stated is to provide means for causing substantially all of the liquid to be discharged from the upper end of the standpipe on to the material within the carrier in such manner as to insure a more even preliminary wetting down of the material or preliminary dyeing thereof and also to prevent the material adjacent to the standpipe from being forced outwardly by the jets projected through the apertures or perforations in the standpipe in such manner as to form a vertical channel around the standpipe through which the liquid will be by-passed into the bottom of the kier without passing through the material being treated and otherwise interfering with the uniform and efl'icient circulation of the liquid through the material.

In the present invention this is accomplished by providing an imperforate sleeve valve 22 which slidaoly fits upon the standpipe and normally encloses the lower imperforate portion thereof and rests upon a collar 23 which is welded or otherwise secured to the standpipe II] a short distance above the upper end of the hub of the spider.

Any suitable means may be provided for holding the sleeve valve 22 in adjusted positions. In

the particular construction illustrated vertical radial partition members 24 and 25, preferably of stainless sheet steel, extend upwardly from the perforated bottom plate in the same vertical plane, and have their inner edges connected by complementary semi-circular straps 28 having fiat end portions 21 and 28 which are welded to the respective vertical partition plates 24 and 25. Means such as one or more set screws 29 mounted in the lower strap 28 and adapted to engage the sleeve 22 serve to clamp the sleeve in either of the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 or 2 or if desired in an intermediate position (not shown).

By reason of this construction the sleeve 22 may be raised to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 when it is desired to cause all of the liquid to flow through the upper open end of the standpipe against the cover of the kier which will cause it to mushroom over the material in the carrier so that it will percolate substantially uniformly through the material during the wetting down or preliminary dyeing of the material. Thereafter the sleeve may be lowered to the position illustrated in Fig. l where it encloses only the imperforate section of the standpipe to permit jets of liquid to be projected through the perforations in the standpipe as in usual dyeing machine constructions.

In the preferred construction illustrated the kier is provided with a cover which comprises a lower circular plate 30, preferably having an upwardly concave central portion 3|, a peripheral wall 32, and a circular top plate 33 both supported upon radial spiders (not shown) having a central hub 34 which is connected by a bolt 35 to a lifting arm 36 having means (not shown) for swinging it upwardly out of the path of the carrier when the latter is lifted from the kier.

The peripheral wall of the cover desirably is provided with an integral outwardly extending horizontal circular flange 37 adapted to be engaged by a series of equally spaced clamping screws 38 mounted in suitable brackets 39 which are pivotally mounted upon shafts 40 carried in bearings in a surrounding flanged-ring II which is secured to the cylindrical wall of the container adjacent its upper end. A suitable annular packing 42, which is mounted upon the upper flange of the ring ll and held in place by an encircling ring 43, serves to hermetically seal the cover upon the kier when in operative position.

The lower end of the cylindrical'wall of the container desirably is provided with a base support comprising a continuous channel-shaped ring 44, having a Vertical flange fitting the bottom of the kier and preferably welded to it with the horizontal portion of the ring resting upon the floor. The semi-cylindrical conduit 4 desirably is of such diameter as also to rest upon the floor and form an additional support for the bottom 2 of the kier.

In the operation of the-dyeing apparatus, assuming that the carrier is positioned in the kier and filled with material to be dyed, the sleeve valve 22 is adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 2 to close the perforations I3 in the upper section of the standpipe, water under pressure is then supplied through the conduit 4 to the standpipe I4 and discharged from th upper end thereof against the concave portion 3| of the cover so that it will be caused to mushroom over the material in the carrier and by percolating through the material to wet it down substantially uniformly.

If desired the dye liquor may. be introduced under pressure through the conduit 4 and standpipe I I in the same manner to produce an initial dyeing of the material. After such wetting down or initial dyeing the sleeve valve 22 will be forced downwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, so that the dye liquor will flow through the perforations I3 in the standpipe in the material as well as through the open end of the standpipe as in usual dyeing machines with the exception that the lateral jets of liquid will be projected only into a desired upper portion of the material.

It is found in practice that by reason of the present construction a more uniform dyeing of the material is accomplished than in usual dyeing machines in which the standpipe is provided with perforations I3 throughout the entire portion of the standpipe which is within the carrier.

The dye liquor which percolates through the material into the bottom portion of the kier passes through the return conduit 4a to the pump from which it is recirculated through the conduit 4 and standpipe until the dyeing of the material is completed.

When the dyeing operation is completed the cover is swung upwardly and suitable hoisting apparatus attached to the clevis I5 on the upper end of the standpipe. Upon the initial lifting of the standpipe the collar 9 on the lower end of the standpipe engages the lower end of the hub I8 of the spider and upon further hoisting of the standpipe the spider, th perforated plate I ii, and the material upon it will be lifted out of the kier, so that the dyed material can be readily removed from the carrier and the carrier reloaded, if desired, before it is returned to the kier.

It will be understood that the particular embodiment of th invention shown and described herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive of the meaning and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Let,-

ters Patent, is:

1. In an apparatus for dyeing or otherwise treating fibrous material, a kier having a bottom provided with a central inlet port for a circulating fluid under pressure, an outlet for said liquid in the lower portion of said kier, a resilient annular packing member mounted on said base surrounding said port, a carrier mounted in said kier comprising a spider having a central hub, a horizontal perforated stock-supporting plate mounted on said spider having a periphery loosely fitting the vertical wall of said kier, and a central standpipe having a perforated upper section with an open upper end and an inperforate lower section loosely fitting the bore of said hub provided adjacent its lower end and below said hub with a collar adapted normally to seat on said packing member, but acting when the standpipe is lifted to raise and support said spider and perforated plate and the load carried thereby, a sleeve valve slidably mounted on said standpipe normally enclosing the imperforate lower section of the standpipe above said perforated stock-supporting plate, but adjustable to close some or all of the perforations of the upper section of said standpipe, means for securing said sleeve in adjusted position, and a horizontal ring secured to said kier above the liquid outlet underlying and supporting the periphery of said plate and sealing the space betwen the periphery of said perforated plate and the wall of the kier.

2. In an apparatus for dyeing or otherwise treating fibrous material, a kier having in its bottom a central inlet port for a circulating liquid,

and an outlet port therefor in the lower portion of the kier, a carrier removably mounted in said kier comprising a circular perforated stock-carrying plate, a central vertical standpipe normally communicating at its lower end with said port .and having an imperforate lower section, a perforated upper section and an open upper end, and adjustable means for selectively closing said perforations to cause the liquid to flow wholly or mainly through the upper end of said standpipe, and means for supporting said stock-carrying plate above said outlet.

3. In an apparatus for dyeing or otherwise treating fibrous material, a kier having in its bottom a central inlet port for a circulating liquid, and an outlet port therefor in the lower portion of the kier, a carrier removably mounted in said kier comprising a circular perforated stock-carrying plate, a central vertical standpipe normally communicating at its lower end with said port and having an imperforate lower section, a perforated upper section and an open upper end, a sleeve valve slidably fitting said standpipe normally enclosing the lower imperforate section thereof, and means for securing said sleeve in positions selectively to close some or all of the perforations in said upper section, and means for supporting said stock-carrying plate above said outlet.

4. Apparatus for dyeing and otherwise treating fibrous material comprising a vertical cylindrical kier having in its bottom a central inlet port for a circulating liquid and an outlet port therefor in the lower portion of the kier, a removable carrier comprising horizontal stock-carrying means having a circular stock-supporting plate th periphery of which is narrowly spaced from the cylindrical wall of said kier and provided with a central aperture in axial alinement with the inlet port, a vertical standpipe of substantially smaller external diameter than that of said aperture extending freely through said aperture and having at its lower end a rigid annular collar of substantially larger external diameter than that of said inlet port forming a foot surrounding the inlet port for supporting the standpipe vertically, and means for supporting said stock-carrying means above said outlet port and sufiiciently spaced from said collar to permit self-centerin movement of the standpipe within the larger central aperture of the stock-carrying means.

5. Apparatus for dyeing and otherwise treating fibrous material comprising a vertical cylindrical kier having in its bottom a central inlet port for a circulating liquid and an outlet port therefor in the lower portion of the kier, a removable carrier comprising horizontal stock-carrying means having a circular stock-supporting plate the periphery of which is narrowly spaced from the cylindrical wall of said kier and provided with a central aperture in axial alinement with the inlet port, a vertical standpipe of substantially smaller external diameter than that of said aperture extending freely through said aperture and having at its lower end a rigid annular collar of substantially larger external diameter than that of said inlet port forming a foot surrounding the inlet port for supporting the standpipe vertically, a packing ring between said annularcollar and the bottom of said kier, means for supporting the stock-carrying means above said outlet and sufiiciently spaced from said collar to permit self-centering movement of the standpipe within the larger central aperture of the stock-carrying means, and means on said standpipe adapted to be engaged by hoisting means whereby upon lifting the standpipe said annular collar will engage and lift the stock-carrying means.

6. Apparatus for dyeing and otherwise treating fibrous material comprising a vertical cylindrical kier having in its bottom a central inlet port for a circulating liquid and an outlet port therefor in the lower portion of the kier, a removable carrier comprising horizontal stockcarrying means having a circular stock-supporting plate the periphery of which is narrowly spaced from the cylindrical wall of said kier and provided with a central aperture in axial alinement with the inlet port, a vertical standpipe of substantially smaller external diameter than that of said aperture extending freely through said aperture and having at its lower end a rigid annular foot member of substantially larger external diameter than that of said inlet port forming a foot surrounding the inlet port for supporting the standpipe vertically, a packing ring between said annular foot member and the bottom of said kier, an annular horizontal ring member secured to the vertical cylindrical wall of said kier above said outlet port and having a fiat face underlying the periphery of said perforated plate thereby providing a seal for preventing fibres detached from the stock by the circulating liquid from passing between the periphery of said plate and the wall of the kier, said annular horizontal ring member being located at such distance above the bottom of the kier as to space the stock-carrying means a sufficient distance above the foot member of the standpipe to permit self-centering of the standpipe within the larger central aperture of the stock-carrying means.

'7. Apparatus for dyeing and otherwise treating fibrous material comprising a vertical cylindrical kier having in its bottom a central inlet port for a circulating liquid and an outlet port therefor in the lower portion of the kier, a removable carrier comprising a spider and a perforated stock-carrying plate mounted thereon the periphery of which extends beyond the spider and is narrowly spaced from the cylindrical wall of the kier, both the spider and plate having central apertures in axial alinement with the inlet port, a vertical standpipe of substantially smaller diameter than that of said apertures extending freely through said apertures and having fixedly secured to its lower end a rigid collar of substantially larger external diameter than that of said inlet port forming a foot surrounding said inlet port for supporting the standpipe vertically, a packing ring between the bottom of said collar and the bottom of said kier, and an annular horizontal plate-supporting member secured to the vertical cylindrical Wall of said kier above said outlet having a flat face underlying the periphery of said perforated plate and providing a seal for preventing fibres detached from the stock by the circulating liquid from passing between the periphery of said plate and said wall, said annular plate-supporting member being located at such distance above the bottom of the kier as to space the hub of the spider a sufficient distance from the collar on the standpipe to permit self-centering of the standpipe within the larger apertures in the hub of said spider and plate.

JOSEPH H. HIGGINSON. HOMER C. RIGGS. 

